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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 2018)
RUNNER SOUL XC FEST DRAWS HUNDREDS TO SANDSTONE MIDDLE SCHOOL >> PAGE A7 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 HermistonHerald.com $1.00 INSIDE BIGGER BILL? The Hermiston city council is considering raising water and sewer rates. PAGE A3 GOING UP Hermiston School District’s enrollment numbers continued to trend upward. PAGE A6 BROKEN Riding High Ministries uses horse breaking to teach Two Rivers Correctional Institution inmates about humility. PAGE A13 BY THE WAY Airport under new management The Hermiston Municipal Airport is under new management. On Monday the city council approved a con- tract for Gorge Avia- tion Services to become the new manager of the airport. Assistant city man- ager Mark Morgan said Hermiston Aviation Ser- vices has always done an excellent job for the city but they are ready to get out of the business. Gorge Aviation was man- aging the airport for The Dalles (located across the river in Dallesport, Wash.) until a recent split in the company. Morgan said they were the only ones to respond to the city’s request for proposals but the airport committee was excited about what they are bringing to the table. He said they have a repu- tation for good customer service and increasing fuel sales for airports. They recently brought their air- plane repair shop to Herm- iston and Morgan said that has already resulted in a See BTW, Page A14 By JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN STAFF WRITER T STAFF PHOTOS BY E.J. HARRIS TOP: Will Jons of Hermiston rides into the arena carrying the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony Wednesday, Sept., 13, 2017, at the Pendleton Round-Up. CENTER: Flag bearer Will Jons of Hermiston screams at the crowd while carrying the U.S. flag during the grand entry Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, at the Pendleton Round-Up. hough its name car- ries a lot of hometown pride, the Pendleton Round-Up draws visi- tors and volunteers from towns near and far. Hermiston resident and police officer Will Jons has been one such die-hard, bear- ing the American flag at the Round-Up opening ceremony for the last 25 years. This Saturday, Jons will com- plete what may be the most spe- cial ride of his Round-Up career, carrying the flag in for the 100th, and last, time. For Jons, this tradition started before he was a police officer. He was working as a cowboy, and he was a volunteer at the Round-Up. Two weeks before the rodeo, someone asked him if he could carry a flag. “I said ‘you bet, let’s try it out,’” Jons said. He hasn’t missed a Grand Entry since. One of five flag bearers that “run at the rail” each day of the rodeo, Jons rides a horse, which jumps into the Round-Up arena. Jons carries a large American flag, and rides a lap around the arena, waving the flag. At the end of the lap, he stands on the field for the National Anthem. Jons said he decided that this year will be his last time as one of the flag bearers. “One hundred grand entries — nobody’s ever done that,” he said. “My biggest fear is being the guy who stays too long.” But others seem to think he’s leaving too soon. “I seem to be the only one that thinks this is a good idea,” See RIDE, Page A14 Hermiston celebrates opening of Harkenrider Center By JADE MCDOWELL STAFF WRITER The sun was shining and the mood was festive as about 200 people gath- ered Saturday to celebrate the open- ing of the Harkenrider Senior Activ- ity Center. “This is what Eastern Oregon life is all about,” Mayor David Drotz- mann said. Behind him was the new 7,000-square-foot senior center built on Ridgeway Avenue downtown. Its features include a large gather- ing area, breakout rooms, offices, gas fireplace, deck, unfinished basement and a commercial kitchen stocked with $100,000 of equipment. The center was named after Frank Harkenrider, who served as city councilor or mayor of Hermiston for a total of 50 years. His wife Bev- erly Harkenrider noted that he was excited to be there to turn over the first shovelful of dirt for the ground- breaking, but did not live to see the building to completion. “He would be thrilled to see everyone here today,” she said. Both she and Drotzmann noted Harkenrider’s deep love of Herm- iston that earned him the nickname of Hermiston’s biggest cheerleader. Drotzmann gave a “Go Bulldogs!” and congratulated the Hermiston High School football team for win- ning its game against the Richland Bombers the night before. “He wouldn’t have let me get STAFF PHOTO BY JADE MCDOWELL See CENTER, Page A14 A few of the people involved in the project cut the ribbon at the Harkenrider Senior Activity Center.
